Benefits of Community College for Homeschoolers

Although it's important to consider the challenges of community college for your homeschooled student,  there are certainly some benefits to enrollment as well.  A transcript from a community college is solid outside documentation of your homeschool transcripts, so if your child's homeschool grades are all 4.0 and they are also getting excellent grades at the community college, that is proof positive that their grades are legitimate.  Our sons also got some fabulous letters of recommendation from their professors at the community college. At times it can be difficult for homeschoolers to find someone to write academic letters of recommendation, which most colleges request for admittance, so doing well in a community college class with a professor who's willing to write you a recommendation is a plus.  Community college can also help you save money on tuition, because the cost to attend us usually one-tenth of the cost of a typical university.   For some families, this is absolutely essential.


Remember, however, that if you intend to transfer to a four-year college, not all community college credits are accepted at every university. Some of the more prestigious universities don't want their undergraduates to take community college classes, especially because the academics might not be as difficult as the universities would like to see.  While the outside documentation (with great grades and a great GPA) can be helpful as well as the letters of recommendation (especially if you have a child who's a poor test-taker), you must weigh the risks with the benefits.  I encourage you to look at the whole puzzle together.  Recognize that I have a bias; but also recognize that you have to consider the whole situation.


When you're checking into community colleges, make sure to talk with other parents, and listen to the entirety of the stories. They may begin by saying, "It's been really good for us... but..." Listen to what they say after 'but'. And don't fall into the trap of thinking that "it" will never happen to your student just because you live in a conservative town.  I have heard these exact same community college stories from conservative places like Oklahoma and Texas.  I once gave a presentation on community colleges, and later I heard from one of the attendees, who did not think any problems could happen to her.  Her daughter had signed up for carefully selected classes, used the buddy system, etc., and yet was given an assignment of pornographic reading in the English class.  The mother had to pull her daughter out of class, which resulted in a withdrawal on her permanent record. Like the Boy Scouts, be prepared for potential problems, and weigh the risks accordingly.